David a



DAVID A; DIKINSQN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

Letters Patent No. 103,584, dated ifay 31, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT FOR PREVENTING- REVERSE MOTION IN SEWING-MACHINES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

" 'To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known 'that I, DAVID A. DIeKINsoN, of the. city of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a certain new and `useful Improvement in Means. for Preventing Reverse Motion and Starting Se\ving-I\Iacliines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the marks and letters thereon, which said drawing forms part of this specitication, and shows my invention attached t'o the table and actuating parts of a sewing-machine v I Figure-l thereof being a front view of' the parts, and

Figure 2, a view, by vertical section, ou the dotted line ot' fig. 1. y

In both of these ligures, where like parts are shown, like letters and marks are used to indicate the parts.

The objectof this invention is to give to the operator of a sewing-machine the facility of starting the .machine without using either of his hands, and, also,

by the same means, ot' preventing the reverse. motion of the machine.

This object is attained by surrounding the hub a of the crank-shaft b by a ring, c, which ring plays upon the hub, so that, when the hub and shaft are operated by the treadle (Z and pitman or connecting-rod c, to drive the machine, the ring may be at rest.

A curved lever, f, is pivoted in a slot, g, in the ring, to the outer end otl which lever there is connected a vertical rod, h, having a step, t', near its lower end.

lhis rod has guides, j, to aid in keeping it in a vertical position.

A spring, k, attached to the table, is connected to the curved lever j', the tendency of this spring being Ito keep the lower end of the lever from cont-act with the hub a.

Now, it will readily be seen that, when the. foot of' the operator is upon the treadle d, letting the heel rest upon the treadle as a turning point, the front part ot' the foot of the operator can easily be yturned toward the rod h, so that, by a slight pressureiof the foot upon the step t, the lower end of the .curved lever may be brought in contact with the'bub, and, nnder the forward movement of the level-'and the ring c, the crank-shaft will be moved for starting the machine.

The same movement of the foot ofthe operator will, with the pressure continued for the length of time desired, prevent the reverse motion of the machine.

I am aware th'at means and devices have been used for starting sewing-machines, and that other means and devices have been used for preventing the reverse motion of such machines; and, therefore, I do not broadly claim any means or combination oi' means for either or both of thesel purposes; but

"hat I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

lhe arrangement of the ring c, curved lever f, spring 7.1, and rod h, in their relation to the hub a and crankshaft l), substantially as and for the purposes herein recited.

This specification signed this 7th day of April, 1870.

DAVID A. DICKINSON.

Witnesses:

Trios. T. Evene'r'r, ROBERT EVERETT. 

